Handheld electronic devices, such as palm pilots and other miniaturized, often wireless devices, usually provide a touch pen for the user, in order to touch and enter letters displayed upon its screen. As any one who has ever spelled out a message in this fashion knows, such a procedure is very slow and cumbersome. Thus, users often have difficulty putting information into the unit, to send e-mail or to write a memo.
The rationale for commercializing the palm pilot, specifically, is that it is not meant to replace a computer. Rather, the device is designed as a handy means for sending terse messages alerting the office via e-mail, for updating a calendar, or for entering a phone number, sales order, or address, on the spur of the moment. At present, a palm pilot is nothing more than an enhanced, up-scale organizational tool. To a greater or lesser extent, so too are other portable electronic devices, such as PC tablets or notebooks.
Some users of such electronic devices, however, have sought a more traditional usage, by attaching small or reduced sized keyboards to the unit, in an effort to readily enter text. This works fine for some, but is not a complete answer to the problem of text input. In the first instance, carrying a keyboard along with the miniaturized device greatly reduces the convenience of having to carry only one small device upon one's person. In a second instance, the use of a keyboard with a portable device flies in the face of its intended usage, the purpose being that of a mobile electronic device for use away from a desk or other flat surface.
These units have found a niche in the marketplace, but their present text entering limitations impede a ubiquitous usage by the public. Clearly, it would greatly enhance the capabilities and commercialization of palm pilots and other similarly situated hand held devices, if textual inputs could more easily be entered.
The present invention seeks to provide miniaturized, portable, handheld electronic devices with a means by which an average user could quickly spell out a message or otherwise enter textual information.
The current invention contemplates fitting an ergonomically held touch pad to the back of a portable electronic device for simulating a keyboard. The user places his or her fingers upon this touch pad in positions representing the keys displayed on the screen of the unit. One quickly adjusts to the use of this improvised keyboard, and is able to sense where to place one's fingers. Very quickly, an average user can be writing lengthy textual messages using this apparatus. The apparatus could be further enhanced by displaying on the front screen of the device a visualization of user finger placement, a trajectory of such placement, and the orientation of the fingers about the touch pad. Such visualization is used as a positive feedback learning tool, and can be disabled, once touch typing on this pad is etched in the user's memory. The unit can comprise a switch for eliminating the display of one's finger positions, once the user is comfortable with the touch pad and its operation.
This invention also has in its purview to employ a limited usage of voice recognition vocabulary, in order to enhance the flexibility of the electronic device. The voice recognition capability would be used to recognize simple commands that invoke rapid changes of screen status (e.g., for the transmission of messages, for the storage of typed text, and for the shifting to spelling and thesaurus tools). In other words, voice recognition would be used as a substitute for key commands.